A peek into life of sea gypsies
The persistent threats posed by militants and kidnappers from the sourthern Philippines and the extensive security operations in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) have somewhat affected the livelihood and disrupted the life of Pala’uh. Mariah Doks
SUKARNO UMBAYANI was sitting at the corner of his house made of dried ‘nipah’, contemplating the future of his community.
The 50-year-old Pala’uh is the oldest sea gypsy in Kampung Tebah Batang, about an hourdrive from Lahad Datu town. He used to live in his boat at sea but now has resettled in a house along with his family in the village.
He ended his nomadic lifestyle in the boat about 15 years ago after all his three sons decided to start their own families.
Although Sukarno is living in a house, it is still on the water because Pala’uh cannot live on land.
Firstly, because they are banned from living on Malaysian soil due to their stateless status, and secondly when they spend even a night on solid ground they often experience ‘land sickness’.
This is the typical life of the Pala’uh communities who are known as the seafarers of Sabah.
“I was born here in Tebah Batang in my father’s boat. I was raised to be a fisherman. He taught me and my other siblings to catch fish, octopus and lobsters from our home, a handmade boat.
“We woke up before sunrise for a breakfast and go to the sea to catch fish, which we normally trade for some rice or tapioca, sugar, coffee and lighter. Some of the fishes we set aside for dinner.
“However, our catch are getting lower because the police (security forces) are everywhere. We cannot go beyond our village otherwise they (security forces) will arrest us. We were told that bad people come from the Philippines are coming to kidnap people, and asking for money.
“It was never like this before. When I was younger, we always went to the sea to catch big fish. We went in groups to avoid bad fishermen who always robbed us of our catch and sometimes stole our boats,” he claimed, adding that the Pala’uh communities have always been the target by aggressive fishermen from the mainland.
Sukarno’s family is among the 15 families living in the Lebah Batang area, often looked down by rogue fishermen whom they called ‘fishermen from the land’... because of their poor lifestyle.
Two of Sukarno’s sons are currently living with their own families near an island in Semporna, while his eldest son and daughter-in-law with their three grandchildren living with him and his wife.
According to him, the Malaysian government is very strict now. It recorded all the houses of the Pala’uh, prohibited them to increase the number of existing houses in Tebah Batang.
Sukarno was referring to the recent action announced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim about the Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) conducting a profile study of the Pala’uh, or Sabah sea gypsies.
Shahidan said the study, which started last year, would determine the community’s numbers, locations and citizenship status. The findings will be analyzed to determine the next course of action.
“Everything is changing now. I don’t know what are we going to face in the future. We never explore the land, we don’t know what to expect.
“The fishermen from the mainland also start building their houses in our area but luckily their structures were demolished by the police. Otherwise, our lives will be threatened by these people.
“With the presence of the police everywhere in the sea, I sometimes feel scared in case they arrest us because we never have any documents. But looking at the brighter side, we feel safe because the aggressive people from the mainland are not disturbing us anymore,” added Sukarno.
For the past three years, the Pala’uh communities in Tebah Batang felt safer after a diving lodge, Hammerhead Dive Lodge was built near their houses.
The manager of the lodge has been helping them, especially in supplying clean water.
“We don’t have to go to the dry land for clean water. It is good because we are afraid of the aggressive fishermen.
“Even when we have a wedding event, we borrow the lodge jetty so that all of us can gather to witness the ceremony.
“The only thing that bothered me when my grandchildren start to enjoy watching TV at the lodge. They started asking about life at the other world (on the dry land). I personally cannot answer them because I never explore the land.
“It never crossed my mind to explore the land because I am comfortable with my life now. Even my grandchildren said they did not want to stay on the dry land but they had been asking so many questions lately,” said Sukarno.
Asked whether the Pala’uh children should be given the chance to go to school, Sukarno said they were born to be fishermen and live in the sea.
All they need is good fishing equipment for them to survive.
“Our life is about catching fish to live. Education is not for me, but I am not sure if it is necessary for my grandchildren. Everything is changing now, but I have no clue whether it is good or bad for us.
“The only thing that I want people to know is that we only want to live, and we are not a threat to anyone,” concluded Sukarno.